Fans get first taste of 3D football in Brighton

It felt like being at the movies, complete with the big screen, stadium seating, popcorn and $4 beverages.

And it kind of felt like being at a football game, too, with fans standing for the national anthem, cheering for their favorite team and a long line for the bathroom at halftime.

But, most of all, it was television history.

Several hundred fans gathered Jan. 8 at the MJR Brighton Town Square 20 movie theaters in Brighton to watch the BCS National Championship game in the first national live telecast of a sporting event in 3-D. The game was broadcast to 80 theaters nationwide.

While the technology showed that it is still in its infancy, the broadcast of Florida's 24-14 victory over Oklahoma was well-received.

"It was fun being at the movie theater and hearing people cheer instead of normally being quiet," said Jason Rivas of Brighton, who watched the game with his brother, Ryan. "People were really getting into the game."

Fans paid $20 to watch and were handed 3-D glasses when entering the theater. An hour before the kickoff, about 100 people had already claimed their seats.

The game was shot with Sony high-definition cameras. Signals were sent to a company called 3ality Digital, which beamed the signal via satellite to the theaters. While the high-definition signal was outstanding, the game failed to produce that it-feels-like-it's-in-your-living-room moment that 3-D is noted for.

However, the high-definition and unique camera angles provided for a different view for a typical football fan.

Many plays were shown at a tight, low-level angle. It made following the action difficult, but wide-angle replays took care of that.
Probably because the technology was new, Fox was unable to post its "ticker," making it difficult for fans to know down and distance or how much time remained.

The broadcast was mostly commercial-free - except for an ad for a hotel chain and some 3-D promos - and Fox commentators Kenny Albert and Tim Ryan constantly reminded viewers that they were watching the game in 3-D and telling them how great it was.

Most of the time, though, when the conventional Fox broadcast went to a commercial, the 3-D broadcast did not leave the stadium, and theatergoers were treated to more highlights and commentary.

The Fox graphics provided the best 3-D moments. The graphics appeared to be suspended in mid-air.

Most of all, it seemed like fans were enjoying themselves.

"You can tell they don't have all the kinks worked out yet. Some of it was really tough on your eyes," said Shon Lucas of Ann Arbor, who came with several co-workers from Ann Arbor Lexus. "It's something they can definitely work out, and it'll be a thing of the future."

The future is soon. The next planned 3-D broadcast is the Feb. 14 NBA All-Star Game.